YouTube Horror Universe Inspires New Movie, Filming Officialy Wrapped

The viral internet legend known as The Backrooms is officially making its way to the big screen. A24 has confirmed that the horror movie, based on the creepy YouTube series created by Kane Parsons finished and will hit theaters in 2026.

For anyone unfamiliar, The Backrooms started as an online creepypasta and urban legend. The story describes a strange, endless maze of yellowed office rooms with buzzing fluorescent lights, damp carpets, and a sense of being trapped in a dreamlike alternate reality.

The unsettling idea is that once you “noclip” out of reality, like in a glitching video game, you end up lost in this bizarre dimension, stalked by unknown creatures.

Parsons turned this concept into a viral YouTube series in 2022, releasing short films that quickly exploded in popularity. His channel, Kane Pixels, introduced millions of viewers to this eerie world, and now he’s taking it to theaters in his feature directorial debut.

The upcoming movie follows a therapist who is forced into The Backrooms after her patient vanishes into the strange dimension. To save him, she must navigate its never-ending hallways and survive its dangers. The script is written by Roberto Patino and Will Soodik, with Parsons directing.

The film has an impressive cast. Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in a lead role, joined by Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, and Avan Jogia. Originally, Cristin Milioti was in talks to join but ultimately did not sign on, with Reinsve stepping into the role instead.

2026 pic.twitter.com/GmMyk2uHqA

— A24 (@A24) August 18, 2025

Production officially kicked off in Vancouver, Canada, in July 2025, filming under the working title Effigy. Cinematographer Jeremy Cox captured the eerie visuals, and filming wrapped by mid-August. A24 is handling distribution, with the film set for release in the United States sometime in 2026.

What makes this adaptation stand out is that Parsons, who was just a teenager when he created the original YouTube series, is still at the helm. His work has been praised for its terrifying sense of atmosphere and authenticity, something fans hope will carry over into the feature-length film.

The Backrooms has grown far beyond its creepypasta roots. It has inspired video games, fan art, and entire online communities dedicated to exploring its lore. The film looks set to bring those unnerving ideas to life in a way that mainstream audiences haven’t seen before.

A24 is no stranger to innovative and unsettling horror films, and pairing their production with Parsons’ viral vision has fans of the legend buzzing with anticipation. If the YouTube shorts are anything to go by, the movie will deliver a claustrophobic, nerve-wracking ride through one of the internet’s scariest modern myths.

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